I get a lot of invitations to connect on the LinkedIn networking exchange. It might be because I'm desirable as a key professional contact (ha!), but I sense it's more because my email address is plastered all over MarketingProfs. Whatever.


In most cases, I get the typical canned letter suggested by LinkedIn: "Hi Ann! I noticed you on LinkedIn. I've been using it too–blah blah blah–."
Then today, this arrived– from my friend Charlie O'Donnell of Oddcast. Hands down, it's the most inviting LindedIn invitation that's ever landed in my inbox. In fact, in a post-Oscar week spirit, this is the Best Single LinkedIn Invitation I've Ever Received. Charlie .... you rock, for your character and your honesty, or at least your truthiness.
Here's the invitation:

Ann,
Spring training has started and I'm trying to make the Mets roster. I think I've got a shot at replacing submariner Chad Bradford. In case that doesn't work out, I'm going to take two seconds to write a mildly creative and entertaining invitation, even though you know what this whole thing is about and any text is probably unnecessary.
So link to me, and then I'll troll your network for opportunities, contacts, dates, etc... all the while getting your permission at every step. Pretty soon, your network will realize that I'm a far more interesting person than you are, and one by one, they'll probably unlink you. You'll wind up alone in a bar somewhere, and probably wind up in a fight. Several haymakers and a black eye later, you'll wonder where all your friends went and you'll only have yourself, Reid Hoffman, Sequoia and Greylock to blame. :)
Of course, I'm joking...
Obviously, you can't blame the VC's.
-- Charlie